RECIPES FOR HEART AND HEARING HEALTH

February 26, 2018

In our last blog post we discussed the connections between heart health and hearing health. Our hearts are key to every function in our bodies, so protecting our hearts is important to overall health, and hearing health too!

Hearing Health and Your Heart

There is no denying that heart health and hearing health are connected. Good blood circulation and cardiovascular function are essential to hearing health.

Whole, unprocessed foods can keep your whole body working well as well as prevent hearing problems. Alternatively, processed foods can raise “bad” cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Hearing health related issues like tinnitus, dizziness and hearing loss were also linked with raised blood lipids.

The good news is that our planet contains an abundance of whole, healthy foods that can protect heart and hearing health. Examples of heart-healthy nutritious foods are almonds, spinach, dark chocolate, coffee, blueberries, red wine, wild-caught fish and many other tasty foods.

Here’s a quick, easy one-day illustration of heart-healthy recipes that can give you a some ideas of how to eat for heart and hearing health.

Breakfast

  • Two-egg omelet with vegetables, a side of berries, and coffee

Pour a scrambled-egg mixture into a heated, well-oiled pan. Good fats like coconut oil or butter are great options. Let it cook and add some cooked vegetables and cheese into the middle, rolling the egg up around the filling. Add vegetables such as , avocado, mushrooms, spinach, onions, and even salsa! Omelets are also great topped with sour cream and some green onions or chives!

Coffee and berries provide more antioxidants and nutrients that help you have a great start to your day!

Lunch

  • Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato (B.L.A.T.) salad with water

This salad is a carb-free alternative to the BLT, and adds great flavor and good fats with heart-healthy avocado. This is a delicious, satisfying lunch that won’t make you sluggish in the afternoon. Be sure to use an organic greens mix to ensure you get a wide variety of nutrients.

Bonus: Make your own salad dressing! Not only is it inexpensive and easy, it’s a healthier choice when compared to commercial dressings which may contain unhealthy oils, artificial flavors, preservatives and colors. Mix a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar; add a spoonful of mustard if you’d like for a tasty mustard vinaigrette!

Snack

  • Mix up your own trail mix!

Pre-packaged trail mix is great but can be expensive and may contain ingredients you don’t like. Fortunately, trail mix is simple to make and can be less expensive than store-bought. Grab a zip lock and add dark chocolate pieces, nuts and a few pieces of dried fruit like crainberries or raisins. Your healthy trail mix is complete and customized to your preferences!

Dinner

  • Wild-caught salmon filet with salt, pepper and lemon juice
  • Red wine

Wild-caught fish is always the best choice, and is more heart-healthy than farmed. Wild-caught salmon has a healthy dose of omega-3 fats and other great nutrients. Season it simply with lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper, or try out a new recipe–there are hundreds available at sites like kitchn.com.

Red wine has heart-healthy antioxidants, so feel free to indulge–but keep it to one serving!

Dessert

  • Dark Chocolate and Brazil Nuts

Dark chocolate is amazing–it includes magnesium to relieve stress as well as other nutrients and antioxidants. Be sure to get high quality dark chocolate, choosing organic if possible, with a high percentage of cacao (70 or above is ideal).

Brazil nuts also have magnesium and are great for your heart–and they go great with chocolate!

Heart Healthy is Hearing Healthy!

Because hearing and heart health are connected, we must be aware of the health of our whole bodies. Getting some movement in every day (even just a walk around the block) and eating whole, unprocessed foods can make a big difference in overall health, and protect your hearing as well.

The first step to halting hearing loss and preventing further damage is to recognize your situation. Come in today for a hearing screening and formulate a strategy to train your brain to listen actively and effectively.

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